Chapter 11
LYK
The outpost was coming into view on their scanners. It wouldn’t be long before the cruiser was docked, and those who wanted to could leave.
Lyk clenched his fists. There was one person in particular he needed to convince to stay, and so far, his luck had been against him. His eyes shifted to the door as Celdrake entered the bridge, carrying a lockbox. Inside was the petty cash they used for random expenses.
Celdrake was tight-fisted with funds, which suited Lyk generally. But in extraordinary situations, such as with Rigellus’s ship, Lyk didn’t mind dipping deep to settle things without having to resort to violence.
“Give them each two thousand credits.”
Celdrake’s mouth dropped open. “Come on, Captain. That’s a fortune!”
“That’s less than a week’s pay on this ship.”
“That’s because we earn it. But Rigellus’s fancy lads don’t deserve that kind of compensation just for having their boss blown up.”
Lyk fought a laugh. His cyborg companion certainly had a way with words. “Like I said, we’ll make a hundred times what we’re paying out when we sell off our score. So stop acting like a miser and count out the credits.”
While the cyborg grumbled, Lyk made sure his men were ready for a visit to the outpost. Although things generally went off without a hitch, there was always a risk in docking at out-of-the-way places like this.
You never knew who might already be on the outpost and whether they wanted to cause any trouble.
Lyk made sure his men always went around in pairs and kept their comm links open.
They wouldn’t be there for an extended period, just long enough to fuel up for the journey out to the Rim, but his men enjoyed stretching their legs and poking through the random assortment of wares on display at the indoor market.
“Prepare to dock,” said a member of his bridge crew, and Lyk held the console in front of them as the ship tapped into place, shaking slightly at the impact. “We are docked.”
Lyk tapped a button on his console and addressed the ship. “Men, we’re here for the next hour, so go ahead and visit the outpost if you’d like. Be back on the ship by 09:00 hours, or you will be left behind.”
He cut the feed, then motioned for Celdrake to accompany him.
They entered the mess and began handing out credits to the men in red.
Each man took his share, some thanking him, some refusing to meet his gaze.
Epaulets gave him a scowl but still grabbed the money handed to him, stalking out the door without looking back.
Once the credits were distributed, Lyk told Celdrake to stay aboard the ship and make sure they got the fuel they needed. He was going to take the women onto the outpost.
“You’re letting them go?” Celdrake’s tone was neutral, but Lyk could detect a hint of surprise.
“They got the same option as the others.”
The cyborg goggled at him. “You said they could join up? What were you thinking? We can’t have random females on this ship!”
“They’re not random, and I’m an equal opportunity employer.”
“This is a rather sudden change, since I’ve never seen you recruit a female before, except for your bed.”
Lyk scowled. “Maybe it’s time for a change.”
“Or maybe you’ve lost your marbles. First Rigellus, now females. What’s next? You’re going to give the cruiser away to charity?”
Lyk laughed. “Maybe I’ll donate your body to science.”
Celdrake rolled his eyes. “I know you’re the captain, but you usually consult me about big changes like this.”
His smile slipping away, Lyk took a beat, then nodded. “You’re right. Normally, I do. Things are a little different this time around, but that doesn’t mean I don’t value your opinion as my first officer.”
“My opinion is to put the women on a transport to wherever they were going and get back to the business of pirating. There’s no place for untrained females on this ship.
Not only are they a liability in combat, but the men will be foaming at the mouth to seduce them.
We don’t need them fighting each other over the females. ”
Lyk’s anger flared instinctively. “No one will lay a finger on them, not even a member of this crew.”
Celdrake’s eyes narrowed, and the cyborg let out an exasperated breath. “None of this makes sense.” Then an idea hit him. “Wait a minute. You want one of them. That’s what this is about.”
When Lyk didn’t answer, Celdrake pointed at him. “The brunette. The one who came to the tavern. You’ve got a thing for her, don’t you?”
“I’m taking the women to the outpost. If they choose to join us, they’ll be returning to this ship and I don’t want to hear one word about it from you.
” Lyk’s leadership was informed by a sense of fairness and the fact that he truly valued his crew’s opinion.
But in this, he would brook no disagreement.
As he strode out of the mess, he could hear Celdrake’s voice call out behind him. “Put them on a transport, or you’ll regret it!”
When he reached the quarters he’d stuck them in, Lyk knocked on the door before hitting the lock. The door slid open, revealing two females who were clearly waiting for him.
“Are we at the outpost?” Allandria asked.
Lyk nodded. “I’ve come to escort you, if you’re still set on leaving the ship.”
Evie glanced at her sister, then back at him. “We thank you for your hospitality, but we really must be getting back to the Rings.”
Her polite demeanor was amusing. It was clear that Evie was gently bred, used to better circumstances than they’d found on Gamma-17.
And she’d said they were “getting back” to the Rings.
Which meant they’d come from there at some point.
So what were they doing on a backwater chunk of rock like Gamma-17 in the first place?
Evie elbowed her sister, muttering under her breath. “Come on, Ally, just like we practiced.”
It came harder to Allandria, it appeared. Voice monotone, eyes pointed at the ceiling, Ally spit her practiced speech out in a huff. “Thanks for the help.”
Lyk had to bite back a laugh. She was a brat, that was certain, but it didn’t make her any less adorable. “My pleasure, of course. Now, if you’ll come with me?”
As they walked to the docking hatch, Lyk had to fight every Vartik instinct in his body that screamed at him not to let Ally go. His hands itched to grab her and carry her to his quarters where he’d lock himself in with her for days until she forgot all about her desire to leave.
He didn’t want to tame her fiery spirit but to harness it. He was certain he could funnel her energy into passion, and the thought of what they could accomplish in bed together made him drool.
Yet, even though he was a pirate, he was also a man of his word. Which meant he had to let her go if she didn’t want to stay. He wasn’t a kidnapper, wasn’t a hostage taker. If she didn’t want to remain with him, he would not make her.
No matter how much it fucked him up inside.
The outpost was bustling, so Lyk kept close to the siblings. Guiding them to a desk on the edge of the market, Lyk knocked on the window to attract the clerk’s attention. The clerk was turned away, his back to them, but it swiveled around in its chair at the knock, and Lyk let out a groan.
It was a Sandarkian. The large insectoid creature was immune to his Vartik powers because of the vast differences in Sandarkian brains when compared to Vartik ones. He’d have to rely on old-fashioned conversation. And credits.
“Can I help you?” Its mandibles twitched in inquiry.
“I certainly hope so. I’m looking to book passage for these two ladies on a reputable ship headed to the Rings. Could you take a look at the flight plans for the vessels you currently have docked and let me know if any might be headed in that direction?”
“My apologies, but all filed flight plans are considered confidential by the management of Outpost Nexus Eight.”
“Right, I understand, but it’s a matter of an emergency.
These ladies need to reach the Rings as soon as possible and are willing to pay handsomely to anyone who can help them out.
Just take a look at your console and let me know if any ships are headed toward Saturn, and I’ll make it worth your while. ”
“Bribery of any official is illegal under section X-10 of the intergalactic penal code. Violators are subject to a fine or up to 10 revolutions in a re-education center.”
Lyk wanted to tear out his hair. Sandarkians really were the worst. Opening his mouth to tell how close he was to having his mandibles ripped off his buggy face, Lyk paused when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
“You’re wasting your time with this guy,” Ally said. “Let’s just ask around.”
“Asking around at the docks got us kidnapped last time,” Evie said through the side of her mouth.
“No one is going to grab you while I’m around,” Lyk assured her. “Let’s ask around at the market. One of the vendors might be able to help us.”
Lyk kept his eye out for anyone that sold saturite, a particular gem mined from the molten core of Saturn.
The gems were faceted like diamonds, but inside, trace amounts of gaseous clouds were trapped so that it looked like there was a tiny colorful storm taking place within the gem as blue, yellow, and green wisps chased each other under the gem’s transparent surface.
Saturite was extremely expensive, and the chance of finding someone selling jewelry featuring the gem on this out-of-the-way outpost was slim, but Lyk decided to start with a dealer who had various hard to find items, weapons, platinum, and other odds and ends.
He was clearly an opportunist, so he may have heard of someone headed toward the Rings or Saturn itself.
“You looking for a new laser pistol?” the grizzled Territhian asked when he approached. “I’ve got one that’s completely clean. Registered to a grandmother who took it out on weekends solely for target practice. I’ve got paperwork of all its maintenance visits. Only twenty-thousand credits!”
“I’m looking for saturite.”
The old man’s eyes lit up. “That’s not gonna come cheap.”
“You know someone who’s got a supply?” Lyk pulled out a hundred-credit note from his pocket and held it up.
“Oh, for godssakes!” Ally lurched forward, grabbing the money out of Lyk’s hands. “Why all the cloak and dagger?” She turned to the vendor. “We need a ride to the Rings. Do you know anyone heading in that direction?”
The Territhian frowned. “People mind their own business around here. If you need supplies, I can help you. But I’m not a transporter. Go pester the foxes. They hang out around the entertainment section.”
The old man moved toward another customer, rattling off his spiel. Lyk put his hands on his hips. “Let me handle this. You’re out of your depth.”
“And you’re throwing away good money on information that might not even get us a ride. We’ve only got an hour. You said it yourself.”
Frustration filled him. “Why do you have such a hard time letting me help you? You try to sabotage me at every step.”
“I don’t need your help!”
“Ally!” Evie grabbed her sister and turned her around. “We do need his help!”
“Not really,” Ally growled. “Come on, Evie. Let’s check out the entertainment area. We can find one of these foxes.”
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
“Why not?” Ally’s face was filled with distrust, and Lyk struggled to understand why this female insisted on painting him as a villain.
“Because those guys make Rigellus look like a paragon of virtue. Two young, attractive females just walking into their clutches? It’s like a dream come true.” His voice was like stone. “Stay away from the foxes.”
Ally opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, a familiar voice spoke from behind him. “You deserve this.”
What felt like a blast of lightning hit him, heating up his insides and making his skin feel like it was melting off. Lyk dropped to the ground, his muscles contracting involuntarily.
Above him stood Epaulets, his face a mask of fury. Rigellus’s former crewmember was holding an electro-stick, the end blinking with white light. One touch, and a lethal voltage could be sent through a person.
“I couldn’t afford the laser pistol, but with the credits you gave me, I had enough for one of these.” As Lyk watched, Epaulets turned the gain up to maximum. “You deserve this.”
He angled the stick toward Lyk and he leaned in to deliver the killing blow.